City's Deadly Intersection Gets Attention

December 04, 1992|by JOE NIXON, The Morning Call

They've been coming to Joe Castronuova's door almost since he moved to hisEaston home 37 years ago.

But his place is not popular for any reason you might expect. His is one of the first homes up the steep hill from E. Nesquehoning Street and Route 611, a dangerous crossroads that is about to get a lot of attention. People normally come to him or to one of his neighbors to report accidents.

A head-on crash Tuesday night highlighted a long-standing concern over the intersection, south of the Canal Museum. One of the cars had to be stabilized with a cable from a tow truck so it wouldn't fall into the Delaware River Canal during rescue efforts.

Those concerned about the intersection say the problem is speed and impaired vision north of the intersection because of a huge rock outcropping at a curve.

"They keep knocking here," said Castronuova, a retired Easton firefighter. "They usually get to this place first."

Castronuova said some of his neighbors will not use the intersection. They take alternate routes. He said a person entering Route 611 from E. Nesquehoning could check the roadway and find it clear, only to pull out and face a southbound car that was hidden by the curve. Castronuova said he was particularly concerned about the school buses that use the intersection.

Another resident whose doorbell is rung by those looking to report an accident is Deputy Fire Chief Gerald Flavelle.

Flavelle said that during an outdoor project at his home this summer, he would have to look down the hill at least daily "to see if somebody crashed or didn't crash."

Both Flavelle and Castronuova expressed concerns about pedestrian traffic and about the condition of an old chain-link fence along the canal side of Route 611. Some of the fencing is down, and the ground around some of the fence posts has eroded.

Flavelle said he will meet with state Rep. Robert Freeman of Easton today to seek the legislator's help in the situation.

Route 611, a state road, was recently repaved from the 3rd Street Bridge south to the city line in connection with the bridge expansion project completed earlier this year.

Police Chief John W. Border Jr. said the state has proposed a 35 mph speed limit from the bridge south to just beyond the Canal Museum and a train trestle, and then 40 mph after that. The city wants the whole area to be a 25 mph zone, and Border said studies will start soon so officials can make their case to the state Department of Transportation.

"That's a dangerous intersection," Border said. "We have to show them (PennDOT) a reason why we want the changes."

PennDOT spokesman James Bergmaier said PennDOT would review the situation upon a formal request from the city but said lowering the speed limit doesn't always slow traffic. "We have to document everything," he said. "We can't arbitrarily set speed limits."

Bergmaier said the state is seeking federal money to upgrade the road because it's in the historic canal corridor and a scenic highway.